FHP: International driver's permit rule will not be enforced

Published: Friday, February 15, 2013 at 8:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 15, 2013 at 10:01 p.m.

Canadians and other international drivers no longer need to worry about additional paperwork when cruising sunny Florida streets come Spring Break.

A state law requiring Florida's international visitors to have an international driving permit in addition to their regular licenses will not be enforced by the Florida Highway Patrol, an official said Friday.

“It came about for a good, important reason,” said Kirsten Olsen-Doolan, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. “Now, we just need to go back and work with it a little bit.”

The law hit the media world by storm after it was brought to the attention of the tourism industry. Olsen-Doolan said she believes this may have happened because of the impending arrival of Spring Break.

She said her department received hundreds of calls this week about the permit, which translates license details in 10 different languages into English.

Olsen-Doolan said legislators thought the permit would make things easier on the state's law enforcement agencies.

“It's really good to have (license details) translated if you're law enforcement responding in an emergency situation,” Olsen-Doolan said.

Despite legislators' good intentions, hundreds of people, many of them Canadian, called officials to inquire about what to do, and some of them were none too pleased.

“Since Canadians have such close ties with the U.S., they wanted to have it as it's always been, so they were all mildly unhappy, but they were all very polite,” Olsen-Doolan said. “For the most part, they just want to comply with whatever the regulation is.”

Georgetown, Ontario resident Kim Konarzycki, who visited Daytona Beach and other parts of Florida in January with family, was unaware of the law during his trip and only heard about it recently on the radio.

“We just figured our Ontario license was fine,” Konarzycki, 58, said.

He said when news of the law made its rounds, long lines formed at Canadian Automobile Association locations where those with upcoming travel plans waited to get permits.

Konarzycki said he was happy Florida officials have decided to relax on the law, but he will still check into it when planning his next trip to the state just to be safe.

Olsen-Doolan said when the Legislature reconvenes March 5 it will propose giving Canadians and other international visitors with English-language licenses an official exemption. Legislators may also have to address the law's possible conflict with an international treaty.

In the meantime, Olsen-Doolan's department, AAA, the Canadian Automobile Association, law enforcement agencies and Visit Florida, the state's tourism agency, are working together to make sure everyone is aware of the recent change.

Kathy Torian, the tourism agency's corporate communications manager, said the agency was relieved to hear FHP was postponing enforcement.

“We were delighted that the governor's office and DHSMV were able to act as quickly as they did to make the change,” Torian said.

She said the agency had been worried for international visitors who were already in the Sunshine State and for those who plan to visit in the coming weeks.

“Our two biggest markets (Canada and the United Kingdom) are both English-speaking countries, so it was very important to us that we get the word out as quickly as possible,” Torian said. “With their spring holidays coming up, we wanted to ensure they knew they would not need to secure one or try to write home to have one generated and mailed down to them.”

Officials had been especially concerned about the Canadian visitors, who Torian said make up the majority of Florida's international tourists.

In 2011, 3.3 million Canadians visited Florida, and about half of them drove their own cars while visiting.

Torian said the majority of those who don't drive their own cars rent one or borrow one from family members or friends they may be visiting.

Olsen-Doolan said she doesn't anticipate the law will be an issue with the amount of publicity about the changes surrounding it.

She and others hope to see official changes take place by July 1, which is the earliest that would be possible.

<p>Canadians and other international drivers no longer need to worry about additional paperwork when cruising sunny Florida streets come Spring Break.</p><p>A state law requiring Florida's international visitors to have an international driving permit in addition to their regular licenses will not be enforced by the Florida Highway Patrol, an official said Friday.</p><p>“It came about for a good, important reason,” said Kirsten Olsen-Doolan, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. “Now, we just need to go back and work with it a little bit.”</p><p>The law hit the media world by storm after it was brought to the attention of the tourism industry. Olsen-Doolan said she believes this may have happened because of the impending arrival of Spring Break. </p><p>She said her department received hundreds of calls this week about the permit, which translates license details in 10 different languages into English.</p><p>Olsen-Doolan said legislators thought the permit would make things easier on the state's law enforcement agencies.</p><p>“It's really good to have (license details) translated if you're law enforcement responding in an emergency situation,” Olsen-Doolan said.</p><p>Despite legislators' good intentions, hundreds of people, many of them Canadian, called officials to inquire about what to do, and some of them were none too pleased.</p><p>“Since Canadians have such close ties with the U.S., they wanted to have it as it's always been, so they were all mildly unhappy, but they were all very polite,” Olsen-Doolan said. “For the most part, they just want to comply with whatever the regulation is.”</p><p>Georgetown, Ontario resident Kim Konarzycki, who visited Daytona Beach and other parts of Florida in January with family, was unaware of the law during his trip and only heard about it recently on the radio.</p><p>“We just figured our Ontario license was fine,” Konarzycki, 58, said.</p><p>He said when news of the law made its rounds, long lines formed at Canadian Automobile Association locations where those with upcoming travel plans waited to get permits.</p><p>Konarzycki said he was happy Florida officials have decided to relax on the law, but he will still check into it when planning his next trip to the state just to be safe.</p><p>Olsen-Doolan said when the Legislature reconvenes March 5 it will propose giving Canadians and other international visitors with English-language licenses an official exemption. Legislators may also have to address the law's possible conflict with an international treaty.</p><p>In the meantime, Olsen-Doolan's department, AAA, the Canadian Automobile Association, law enforcement agencies and Visit Florida, the state's tourism agency, are working together to make sure everyone is aware of the recent change.</p><p>Kathy Torian, the tourism agency's corporate communications manager, said the agency was relieved to hear FHP was postponing enforcement.</p><p>“We were delighted that the governor's office and DHSMV were able to act as quickly as they did to make the change,” Torian said.</p><p>She said the agency had been worried for international visitors who were already in the Sunshine State and for those who plan to visit in the coming weeks.</p><p>“Our two biggest markets (Canada and the United Kingdom) are both English-speaking countries, so it was very important to us that we get the word out as quickly as possible,” Torian said. “With their spring holidays coming up, we wanted to ensure they knew they would not need to secure one or try to write home to have one generated and mailed down to them.”</p><p>Officials had been especially concerned about the Canadian visitors, who Torian said make up the majority of Florida's international tourists.</p><p>In 2011, 3.3 million Canadians visited Florida, and about half of them drove their own cars while visiting.</p><p>Torian said the majority of those who don't drive their own cars rent one or borrow one from family members or friends they may be visiting.</p><p>Olsen-Doolan said she doesn't anticipate the law will be an issue with the amount of publicity about the changes surrounding it.</p><p>She and others hope to see official changes take place by July 1, which is the earliest that would be possible.</p>